Mumbai: Maharashtra Minister of State for Agriculture Adv. Ashish Jaiswal on Wednesday directed officials to ensure the effective implementation of the proposed Orange Cluster initiative to enhance production, quality and income of orange growers in Vidarbha.Chairing a high-level review meeting at Mantralaya, Jaiswal said the project should strengthen the entire value chain—from cultivation and processing to value addition, branding and exports—thereby making Maharashtra's orange industry more competitive in domestic and global markets.Senior Agriculture Department officials, legislators, representatives of Dr. Punjabrao Deshmukh Agricultural University and horticulture experts attended the meeting to review the roadmap for the cluster project.

Jaiswal noted that orange growers in Nagpur, Amravati and Wardha continue to face challenges such as climate change, increasing disease outbreaks, shortage of quality planting material and inadequate post-harvest management. He said these issues require a comprehensive cluster-based approach and directed officials to ensure timely implementation of the project.

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The minister instructed the Agriculture Department to conduct a detailed inspection of orange nurseries and organise training programmes and workshops for nursery operators to ensure the availability of disease-free and high-quality planting material, which he described as the foundation of the cluster's success.He also called for regular guidance camps for orange growers at Citrus Fruit Improvement Centres and directed officials to increase public representatives' participation in their functioning by including two MLAs on the committee—one from the concerned constituency and another from a neighbouring constituency.

Emphasising technology-driven farming, Jaiswal asked agricultural universities to actively disseminate information on artificial intelligence (AI)-based farming practices, disease management, water and nutrient management, orchard rejuvenation and quality production among farmers through advisory services and awareness campaigns.The meeting also reviewed measures relating to high-tech nurseries, rejuvenation of ageing orchards, micro-irrigation, post-harvest management, food processing, value addition, branding and direct market linkages with domestic and international buyers.

Describing the Orange Cluster as more than just a development project, Jaiswal said it would serve as a major initiative for the economic empowerment of lakhs of orange growers in Vidarbha while helping establish Maharashtra's oranges as a globally recognised brand. He urged all concerned departments to work in coordination to ensure the project's successful implementation.

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